


and so her story begins

by Karria



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Future Fic, Gen, I know I haven't posted a chapter in 866708 years but I'm trying, I should have less headcanons and more actual plotpoints, What Was I Thinking, and simon is there too, at least until next thursday, nobody will read this but it's okay because I will probably never finish it, the rating may change, velora goes on adventure!, will ignore episode 68
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-08-17 02:37:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8127116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karria/pseuds/Karria
Summary: Velora knew, for some time that she was not going to stay at home and be at her father's every whim. She wants to find her brother and sister. But where they might be?Set in the future.





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Anny_Rudolph](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anny_Rudolph/gifts).



> My tumblr:  
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/uchuuryokou

It all started on a sunny, warm day in the city of Emon.

Oh wait, no, it didn’t.

 It started many years ago, when Velora was a little girl. It was the day her brother and sister (and a whole bunch of other people) came with a visit. She doesn’t remember that day well; she knows that her sister gave her a very pretty feather and her brother talked to her with very serious look on his face.

(She also remembers that she thought their gnome friend was amazing, although she doesn’t remember why.)

But better than all of that she remembers her father’s cold, unforgiving eyes. She remembers harsh words being spoken, and even though she did not understand why, she felt uneasy.

It took her a few years, but eventually she understood why she was being treated better than Vax and Vex, and why they almost never came to visit. Her father was always cold and distant when she or mum spoke about them. He wanted her to forget about them.

But she didn’t. And as years passed, she started dreaming of an adventure of her own. Of course, she wouldn’t tell that to her father; he had already planned her entire life, he wouldn’t hear any of it. She saw how disappointed he was when it was revealed that she has powerful magical abilities, as if that could’ve made her more independent.

She was homeschooled, to keep her newfound talents under control.  She was put in dresses and taught ‘proper manners’, as her father liked to say.

He thought Velora would not protest. One would think that after what happened with Vax and Vex, he would’ve known better.

So when father summoned her to his office again, she says nothing.

“I have found you a suitable match,” he said. “You will meet him soon.”

She nods and fights the wave of anger that overcomes her. Her fists clamp, but she nods and her father looks content.

“If you need me, I’ll be in the library,” she tells him and leaves. After that, she rushes to her room, and grabs the backpack that she have had prepared for so long.

“Finally, you’re going to be useful.” Velora says, a heavy feeling of guilt setting in her chest. She doesn’t want to do this to her mother, but her father will not understand that she is her own person. She made her decision.

She was going to find her siblings.

The escape was easier than Velora could’ve anticipated.  One spell she used to disguise herself; another one to convince the guards to let her out of the city.

As the result, she was now in the city of Emon, where she knew the heroes of Vox Machina had a keep.

_I’m going to find them,_ she tried to convince herself. _I’ll do it!_

A few hours passed, and she found it. Greyskull Keep, still standing proudly to remind the citizens of Emon of the brave deeds of Vox Machina. She took a deep breath, made it a few steps closer to the gate.

“Hello!?” she shouted. “Is anybody there?”


	2. Meeting in a dark alley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet Simon.

“Hello!?” she shouted. “Is anybody there?”

But there was no response.  Velora took her time, waiting for the answer, but it didn’t come. So she shouted at the gate again.

“Hello! I’m looking for Vox Machina!”

“Get lost, they’re not here!” This time, a loud, male voice replied here from behind the gate.

Velora cursed under her breath. Of course, why would they be in a place where they’re supposed to live?

“Could you just tell me where they went? Please, I’m Vax’ildan and Vex’ahlia’s sister!” She shouted at the gate again.

This has gotten her some attention. She saw someone up on the walls of the Keep, who then shouted:

“Frankly, I don’t care who you are, miss. If you want to find them so badly, last I’ve heard, they were heading to Vasselheim. Good luck!”

The man then disappeared again and didn’t came back.

“How am I going to get to Vasselheim?” She asked herself. Set on solving that particular problem, she headed back to Emon. She was fairly certain, that somewhere here was a place with teleportation circles; maybe she could start from there.

When she made her way back towards the centre of the city, she suddenly had a hunch- as if someone was watching her from a distance. She slowly turned around, but she didn’t notice anything. With a mild look of confusion on her face, she turned right into the next alley.

That’s when she heard what must’ve caught her attention last time- a slight shuffling sound behind her. Velora quickly turned around and begun casting a spell. Magical energy flew through her hands as she muttered the words, aiming at the shadow she barely saw.

“Wai-!”’ The dark figure tried to speak but suddenly something happened, Velora heard a loud thump and the figure was out of her sight.

She froze, halfway through the spell, with her hands still pointed towards the place when shadowy figure stood just a while ago. Velora needed a while to comprehend what she just witnessed, but it looked like the stalker... tripped?

Well, he was now lying face-flat on the ground, so he did not pose any threat. Velora’s hands dropped back down, as she approached the stranger.

“Are you... are you alright?”

The figure rolled over on his back, and she could now see that the person following her was a blonde- haired boy, dressed in a long, black cloak.

“My face hurts,” he sighed, resigned, like it was not the first time that this had happened.

“Why were you following me?” Velora tried to put on the most intimidating face she could, but in that moment she tried really hard to not laugh at her presumed attacker, so she doubted she looked anywhere near scary.

“Okay, listen, I-,I was just...” The boy started to babble. “I heard you say you’re looking for Vox Machina and I’m looking for them too , so I thought if I followed you...” He looked up at her with hope. “Is it true though?”

“Is what true?” Velora had some trouble with understanding the boy’s line of logic.

“Are you really their sister?” His eyes positively sparkled with excitement now. She hesitantly nodded, and he grinned.

“I’m Velora.” She introduced herself. “And you are?”

“The name’s Simon,” he smiled at her again.

“Well Simon, maybe next time, you could just talk to someone instead of spying on them. Good day to you.” Velora turned on her heels and started to leave, but Simon quickly grabbed her by her arm.

“Wait!” Simon immediately let go of her arm after he realised what he’s done. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean... Could I maybe join you?”

“I’m sorry?” Velora was ever more confused now.

“I want to find Vox Machina too. Can I join you?” Simon clarified, staring at the ground.

“Why do you want to find them?” Velora asked. She felt like there was a story behind this although she didn’t know why she... oh, yes. Now she remembered. Her brother had a belt named Simon.

“They saved my life, a long time ago. I wanted... well, I tried to be like Vax, but... I’m not very good at this,” he gestured at himself.

“You may want to shorten your cloak,” Velora agreed. She shook her head, laughing. “So let me get this straight. You spy on me, I try to kill you with a fireball for spying on me, and now you want to search for my siblings with me?”

“Yes?” Simon tilted his head.

***

She did not believe herself. Simon was now a few steps behind her, trying to get her into a conversation. Why did she let him to tag along again? She was too soft, she decided. But well, maybe Simon would turn out to be a valuable addition to the team.

“Can you use that dagger of yours?” She asked him. He thought for a moment before answering.

“Well enough, if I don’t have to throw it...” Simon said with an apologetic smile.

“What if you have to throw it?” Velora couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“I could probably hit a house. Or a big tree.”

Velora sighed heavily. _It’s okay,_ she told herself, _at least I don’t have to travel alone._

“So we just need the target to be big enough, got it. Let’s go find that building with teleportation circles, then.

Simon stopped dead in his tracks, obviously thinking about something.

“I don’t think there are any teleportation circles to Vasselheim,” he said after a short while. “I think we need to get an airship.”

An airship. Velora remembered seeing pictures of them. In the storybooks she read in her childhood, the heroes always travelled with and airship.

Or on dragons, but the airships were popular too.

“Alright. If you’re sure of this,” Simon nodded eagerly. “then let’s head to the port.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: The trip to Vasselheim


	3. How to get to Vasselhaim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that, I wrote something.

“Finally,” Simon sighed “I thought we would never find that damned airship.”

It was right before their eyes. A big, beautiful airship. It was better than looking at pictures of it in a book, Velora decided.

“We need to find the captain,” she said to Simon. He nodded and they went looking for a person that looked like someone who could be in charge of the ship.

It took them a while, but they eventually found her; a tall woman, with a scar across her chin. Velora took a deep breath and came closer.

“Excuse me? Miss?” she tried to ask. The woman turned to her and stared for a while.

“I ain’t no “miss”, lady. I’m Iara. You can call me “captain,” she explained with a cheeky smile on her face.

“Yes…captain,” Velora hesitated. “Could you get us to Vasselhaim?”

The woman laughed sharply. “I can get you anywhere, for a right amount of money.”

Right. Money. That could be a problem. Velora took some money from home, but was it enough to get them both Vasselhaim? _Probably not,_ she thought bitterly. _And even if it was, we still need to eat._

“Only 200 gold for both of you,” captain Iara proposed. “It’s a bargain, lady. You won’t get that price anything else.”

“Alright,” Velora said. “And when does the ship leave?”

“Tomorrow at dawn,” Iara replied. “Better be there with the gold or else we will leave without you!”

***

“But Vee, where are we going to get 200 gold?” Simon asked her when they were sitting in a tavern. Velora raised her eyebrow.

“Vee?”

“It’s a nickname. You don’t like it?” asked Simon. Velora shrugged her shoulders. They should quickly find some gold. But where? It’s not like she could go home and ask her dad to give her the money.

“Maybe I could try and steal the money?” asked Simon.

“And get us both in trouble? I don’t think so. Maybe we should find some work?”

“Yes, but… what kind of work is going to get us 200 gold?” It seems like Simon was made entirely out of questions that Velora didn’t know answers for. She was starting to feel like her entire plan was a mistake. Maybe she should get back home and just apologize to her father.

 _Get married and have kids like an obedient daughter,_ she thought. She shook her head. It wasn’t what she wanted and she certainly was not going to give up now.

She stood up. “Let’s go.”

“But where?”

“We’ll ask around. We have to find something before tomorrow’s dawn. Come on!” She started to leave, but when Simon looked at her, a little confused, she added: “I’m not giving up!”

Simon’s face lighted up. “Neither am I!”

***

It took them a while, but eventually they found someone who pointed them to a person who might have some work for beginning adventurers. They were standing now in front of a shady looking house- it was almost falling apart, as if nobody lived there for years.

Velora knocked on the doors.

“Are you sure about this?” Simon asked. “This really doesn’t look safe.”

“Do we have any other choice?” she replied, but before the boy could say anything else, the door suddenly opened. They both saw a woman in her mid-forties, looking at them as if she caught them on stealing.

“What?” The woman asked.

“We’re looking for… One-eyed Arko?” Velora replied hesitantly. The woman looked at them scornfully, but let them in.

She led them to a room, in which they saw another person, a man, currently eating dinner. When he looked at them, Velora could see that he lacked an eye.

“Are you Arko?” she asked.

“It depends. Who are you?” he replied, spitting out food all around himself.

“I’m Velora, and this is Simon.” Simon nodded. “We were told that you would have a job for us. We need 200 gold.”

“200 gold you say. And what you can do for me?”

“Anything,” Simon said. “We’ll do anything, sir.”

Arko stared at them with his one eye for a while, and then laughed.

“Anything, they say!” he banged his hand on the table, still laughing. “Then maybe I would have a job for you, kiddos. What would you say… for a little hunt?”

He was looking at them intensely, and Velora was scared, although she would never admit it out loud.

“There is a wolf, living in the woods nearby. Big one. You’ll recognize him instantly. He is a black beast with yellow eyes, twice as big as the other wolfs here. He took my eye. I want to hang his pelt over the fireplace.”

“Yes, sir,” Simon nodded.

“Bring it to me, and I’ll give you your 200 gold. “

***

They were looking for the damn wolf for at least 3 hours now. It was getting darker and Simon tripped over his own cloak at least 3 times. But it was her who was leading them in circles for the last hour.

Maybe they really weren’t caught out for this.

“I wish I was my sister,” Velora said to Simon. “She would’ve found that wolf already. She’s a great huntress.”

Simon smiled at her reassuringly.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find it.” He laughed. “After all, we’re not that…”

_Grrrawr_

What was that weird sound? Velora turned to Simon who was still talking and stopperd dead in her tracks. Simon almost walked into her. “What are you…”

“Don’t. move.” She whispered, pointing to a big, black shadow behind Simon. She did a few gestures with her hand and aimed just over Simon’s shoulder.

A bright fireball sprung from her hand and almost hit the wolf, but it jumped away at the last moment. Simon immediately turned, pulling out he’s daggers. “What are you doing?” he shouted at her. “You could’ve burned my shoulder!”

“I know my magic, thank you very much!” she shouted back angrily, preparing her next spell. Simon threw his dagger and cursed when it missed its target.

Velora almost casted another spell when the wolf jumped at her, trying to bite her throat, but Simon threw himself at it. He stabbed the wolf with his dagger and it scowled, but quickly returned to attack.

Velora threw two more spells, one after the other, but only one of them hit the target. Simon ran towards the dagger he threw earlier and picked it from the ground.

The wolf growled at them.

Velora managed to hit him with one more spell, and its fur started to burn. In pained, it jumped at Simon and bit him in the arm.

Simon screamed. For Velora it was like the whole movement slowed down for a while. She saw as Simon grasped his dagger firmly with his other hand and stabbed the wolf straight through his heart. The body fell to the ground and Simon cursed as he clutched his hand. But his eyes met hers and he smiled.

“We did it,” Simon said proudly, even if his eyes where full of tears.

“Yes, we did. You dealt the killing blown, Simon!” Velora ran towards him with a huge smile. “Does it hurt? Come on, we’ll get you to the healer.”

“First, the pelt.” Simon said. “And let’s take its teeth. We can make some nice necklaces out of it.”

***

They took the pelt and the teeth and managed to heal Simon in the city for a reasonable price. Arko kept his part of the deal and payed them 200 gold, even though he was complaining that the pelt is burned.

They took the money and went to the port at dawn.

“Come on, kiddos!” Captain Iara shouted at them. “We’re leaving!”

They both looked at each other and ran towards the ship.

They were going to Vasselhaim.

**Author's Note:**

> Next up: Meeting in a dark alley


End file.
